


When We're Gone We'll Pass The Torch To You

by ToujoursGina



Series: The Young Avengers [1]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Cassie Lang is 15, Cassie Lang is Stature, Harley Keener is Iron Lad, Harley is 16, Lila Barton is 14, Lila Barton is Hawkeye, Not Spider-Man: Far From Home Compliant, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Peter Parker is 15, Shuri is 16, Shuri is just Shuri, yall know who Peter is
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-03-20 02:19:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18983203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToujoursGina/pseuds/ToujoursGina
Summary: Lila Barton is angry, she's angry at the world for what happened to her and 50% of the universe. So she trains to make sure it never happens again.Cassie Lang is scarred, Her family had all disappeared in the snap and she was left with no one. She learned to take care of herself and one day she finds a jewelry box.Peter Parker is broken, he doesn't know what to do after the second fight with Thanos. He saw Tony die right in front of him and was trusted by Tony to look after Morgan and he isn't sure just what to do.Harley Keener is worried, He was trusted by Tony to take over as Iron Man and he's worried that he'll never be good enough to take over.Shuri just wants to help protect her home and family so she advances her technology and weapons.The five teens are all struggling in their own ways after the decimation. These are the tales of how they band together to form: The Young Avengers





	1. Pick Up Your Bow and Show Me How To Be A Hero

**Author's Note:**

> So welcome to the first fic in the Series. Shout out to my Best friend Dessa for being my person to read this before hand and bounce off ideas between the two of us. And my friends on the TSPS for being willing to read as well.  
> Hope ya'll enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lila Barton arrived back in 2023 years after she was turned to dust.   
> So she decided to take a stance and to become a hero.

* * *

Lila Barton is Angry at the world. Well that's the least you can say about the subject. To say Lila Barton was distraught was a understatement. She never understood why everyone she saw when she went up to New York to visit the Avengers all of them gave her a pitiful look and a sad smile. The first time she got to spend time dad alone Clint told Lila of what happened to 50% of the population needless to say she was heartbroken. She cried for three days after she found out what happened to her aunt Natasha. Her dad joins in, not tell his daughter of all what happened on that fateful day in Vormir. So she trains as hard as can cause she'll be damned if she can't help stop this from happening again. She takes her frustration out on the targets in the forest behind the Stark's lake house. She spends her hours putting arrows in the trees and avoiding everyone else at the funeral. She maybe a girl from Iowa but she'll be damned if she's not ready to fight.

* * *

She ends up meets 4 teens at the funeral. All seemed distraught of the event. She learns all their names hours after the funeral ended. Lila seemed to be the last the join the group, she had been wandering the empty halls not wanting to see the looks of sadness on her parents faces. She walks by a room of teens who invite her in to come and sit with them.

The boy with puffy red eyes and brown hair moved himself over so she could sit on the bed. "Your Lila right?" he asked, she nodded her head.

"Yeah, sorry i'm not really sure who all of you are though." Lila said sheepishly as she looked around at the teens in the room.

"It's alright the rest of us just met awhile ago. I'm Peter Parker." The boy beside her replied. The girl holding a stuffed duck spoke up.

"I'm Cassie Lang. " Lila was in awe.

"Oh my god your dad's Ant Man!" Lila exclaimed.

"Yeah and your dad is Hawkeye, that's not the weirdest thing in here, Shuri over here is Princess of Wakanda." Cassie said so nonchalantly. That was it Lila was astounded by all the teens in the room.

The girl who she now knew as Shuri threw a pillow at Cassie. "God Cassie stop exposing me." The two girl began to bickering slightly.

The other boy coughed to disrupt the playful bickering of the two girls. "Excuse those two, i'm Harley Keener." Harley told as both girls gave him a glare.

The five of them talk awhile more, they're instantaneously fast friends. They had all moved to the floor and began to play a game of UNO. Lila peered over to see Peter and asked the question that was on her mind for awhile.

"Peter how did you know Tony?" Lila asked. The chatter quickly hushed to a silent and Peter's face fell to a sad smile. Lila felt regret after asking it. "Peter i'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

"It's okay, I met Tony when he showed up at my aunt's apartment, you know the fight in Germany." Lila nodded her head, that whole stupid fight was the reason her dad couldn't leave the house for 2 years. "Tony needed my help with taking down Captain America. I got the steal his shield." Peter said as the rest of the teens listened in. "I help him out there and then all the stuff with the Vulture happened, and we became closer, Tony was basically like father to me, he looked out for me, even called me his son more than once, I just really miss him." Peter sighed.

Harley pulled Peter into a hug, Peter complied hugging him back. "You're not the only one, we all miss him Peter."

Cassie gave her Lila and Shuri a look of 'lets give them some space.' Shuri stood up and Lila followed after her Cassie stayed back to let them know where they were going.

As they stood in the halls waiting for Cassie, Shuri started to ask her questions. "Lila did you feel anything when you disappeared?" She asked. Lila had to think of what the princess had asked her. She honestly couldn't remember what happened except when she came back her bow was on the ground instead of her hand.

"No I can't remember anything." Lila paused. "I just know that when I reappeared my bow was on the ground instead of my hand. I didn't even know what had happened to the world and that all this time had passed until I got to New York and saw my dad." Lila replied."Did you feel anything when you disappeared?"

"No." Shuri looked down the halls and saw her brother and Pepper exchanging conversation. "I was fighting in the battle in Wakanda and all I saw was soldiers and enemies disappear on the battlefield and then I myself disappear as well." Shuri looked somewhat on edge when she spoke. Lila put her hand on Shuri shoulder.

"You wanna sit on the bench?" Lila asked. Shuri nodded her head and sat down before Lila sat beside her.

Shuri took a deep breath and continued."As I was saying I woke up back in Wakanda then a man named Doctor Strange opened up the portal and told us to go through it to help fight Thanos again." Shuri took a pause.  "Sorry this kinda hard to talk about." Shuri sighed. Lila pulled Shuri to look at her.

"Hey it's perfectly fine if your not ready to talk about it. Mind if I share a story?" Lila asked and Shuri nodded. "So back around 2012 just before the battle of New York happened my dad got brainwashed by Loki and had to do what what ever Loki commanded him to do. He came back different after the whole event, I was only five when it happened, but I could tell he was shaken up by it and hasn't been the same since that time, he gotten better over time it's just taken awhile. What i'm trying to say is that it's gonna be alright, it just may take some time for you to heal."

Shuri looked at Lila with wide eyes. "Damn." Shuri paused. "That was deep." Shuri said as they both turned when they heard a door close as Cassie appeared in front of them after leaving the room of Peter and Harley. Cassie had a look of tiredness on her face.

"Peter was going to try get some sleep and Harley was going to do the same." Cassie told as she shut the door. "I was about to head to my room and chill there for awhile. You guys wanna come with me?" Cassie asked.

"I'll go, you gonna come with us Shuri?" Lila asked as she stood up and turned around to face the older girl. Shuri shook her head and grabbed her phone of the bench and passed it into Lila hands.

"I'm going to head to my room and get some sleep, here put your phone number in here and i'll send you the rest of our numbers and add you into a chat with all of us." Shuri said. Lila typed her number into the contact on Shuri's phone and handed it back to her. "I'll text you in the morning, see you guys tomorrow." Shuri said her goodbyes and headed down to the ended of the hall to the room she was in and closed the door behind her.

The two girls stood in the halls before Cassie grabbed Lila hand and brought her down the hall and pushed open a door. "This is my room, grab a spot anywhere to sit." Cassie told her. Lila complied and sat on the end of the bed as Cassie hopped up on and sat by the pillows. "I'm sorry all of us are kinda a mess, you and Harley must feel so out of the loop of the teenage superhero stuff." Cassie apologized in as they settled onto bed. Lila looked surprised.

"Wait your a superhero." Lila said pointing to Cassie who let out an awkward laugh after hearing what Lila had said.

"Yeah I haven't been one for very long though, it'll be three years in another 6 months." Cassie said as Lila looked at her. "Trust me it's not all it's chalked up to be, there was so much crime after the decimation, I only helped part of the problem in San Francisco, with being a rookie hero and all that."  

"I'm sure you did the best you could, it probably helped out a lot of people. Does your dad know what you do?" Lila asked.

"He doesn't know yet I planned to tell him once we get back home, only you guys and the people I lived with since my parents disappeared. I feel like he'll be proud but he's not going to be happy with the amount of injuries I've gotten while out on patrol." Cassie told. Lila reached over her hand and grabbed Cassie's and held onto it.

"I'm sure he's going to be really proud of you." Lila said with a smile, Cassie returned the smile back.

The pair chatted for a while before Cooper knocked on the door and asked to come in. He stood in the door for a moment before telling Lila that they had to leave. As Lila said her goodbye and left with her brother. They walked down the hall before Cooper stopped them.

"Why did you disappear like that, mom got worried that you had run out and started attacking the Stark's trees again." Cooper said making sure their mom wouldn't see them.

"Coop I wasn't gone for that long, plus I was just hanging with some of the other kids from the funeral." Lila told her older brother.

"You were gone for 4 hours Lila. Why was talking to them so important." Cooper asked.

"4 of them disappeared as well and one of them lost all there family, we somewhat confided in each other."Lila slightly shrugged her shoulder as they finished walking down the hall and entered back into the living room to see people still chatting away and their parents standing by the door waiting for them to return. Laura looked slightly relieved but slightly mad.

"Lila where were you, we were supposed to leave an hour ago." Laura said with a slightly angry tone. We have to get back to hotel and pack." Laura shifted Nate in her arms. "We're driving home tomorrow morning and want to leave by 5. Now lets get in the car."

They all waved goodbye and Laura headed off to the car and Cooper and Lila slowed down to talk so their mom couldn't hear.

"Why's mom so angry?" Lila asked.

Cooper sighed."She's still not taking the news of the decimation well. I think she's also over tired from the trip."

"I'm kind of upset that we can't come back tomorrow, I was really hoping to see them." Lila sighed.

"I know it sucks but hey you got their numbers right so you'll still be able to keep in contact with them." Cooper said to his younger sister as they entered the car and their dad drove them back to the hotel. She ended up getting a text in the middle of the car ride back to Iowa from Shuri being notified that she was added to a group chat. She may have not gotten to see them again but she was at least happy they could stay in contact.

* * *

 

Lila had settled back into life at home as one expected.

Though this time she had a goal in mind.

She was going to be a hero, she was going to be strong and rise 

up like what her newfound friends did. She was going to be like her Dad and Auntie Natasha. She was going to be brave. The world needed heroes and she would be damned if she wasn't going to be one.

So she ups her training, she makes herself become stronger than she's ever been before. She ups her training with her dad she learns everything from his days being Hawkeye. She becomes a master at the Bow and thinks she done her training. Until the day she finds her dads swords and begs her to teach her, he reluctantly compiles but makes her promise not to tell her mother.She swears on her life and they start training the day after. It takes a couple of months but she gets better everyday with her training. It was a Friday night and her and her dad are on top of the roof when he finally asks the question that was on his mind for months.

"Why did you want to learn everything I had to give about my job as Hawkeye." Her dad asked after cracking open a Sprite and passing it to her.

Lila sighed and swung her head low and began to think. _'Oh crap here we go.'_ Lila exhaled and inhaled before answering her question. "Well it's because." She paused again. She regrets not texting the group chat with a simple. _'Hey just wanted to know how do you tell your parents you want to become a superhero and fight crime in your spare time."_ She inhaled and looked her dad in the eyes.

"I'm training to become a superhero." Lila said staring out to the setting sun, she avoids the look on her dad's eyes, it's mostly to not see whether or not he's disappointed in the statement she had made. "Look I know your not super fond of the lifestyle at this time with all the fighting that you've done in the past, but I just wanna help people out. I don't want something like the decimation to happen again. I want to make an impact on the world by helping others."

Instead she feels one her dads hands set on her left shoulder. She looks over to him and sees a smile for on his face."I'm proud of what you wanna do kid but i'm worried for you. You don't know the full risk that follows you around with by being a superhero. I just don't want you to rush into this business not knowing what your doing." Clint sighed. "Please if you're going to be a superhero, just let me help you out so that you don't get yourself hurt.” He took his hand off of her shoulder and grabbed his Sprite so that it was gripped in 2 hands.

"I'm surprised you're taking this so well, I thought you'd be mad and tell me that my idea was stupid." Lila chuckled softly. Her dad laughed along and realized a few moments after a important step they missed.

"Your mother isn't going to be too happy with this news." Her dad laughed and Lila looked out to the barn and the abandon trucks in the field.

"Maybe we should not talk about it with her for awhile?" Lila replied.

"I think that might work for know. Alright let’s head to the barn, you're going to start your training by fighting me." Her dad stood up as he made the statement he grabbed Lila's hand and pulled her up from sitting on the roof.

* * *

 

She fights her first villain on a weekend while in the city, of course with the help of her dad.They didn't mean for it, but it happened anyway. Lila and Clint noticed something was wrong s they were driving through the city. They had at first tried to avoid it as Laura drove them towards the mall but that couldn't deter them from taking action.

As the family headed into the mall Clint and Lila broke off the rest of them saying that they were heading in Cabelle's to look at new bows and pocket knives. As Clint kissed Laura before she and the boys headed off in the other direction. As soon as the three were out of seeing and hearing distance they made a beeline to the doors leading to the parking lot. As they opened up the trunk of the car they flipped the fake rug hiding the bows and quivers underneath of them. As they grabbed both bows out they recovered the back so they were able to hide their knives.

They weren't dressed for the part for taking down criminals. But at least you can move around more in farm clothes. As they gripped their bows in hands and slung the quivers over there backs, Lila had a smile on her face.  Clint looked over to her and helped her adjust the straps on the quiver.

"You ready to start running kid?" This caught Lila by surprise. Her dad started running towards the exit of the parking lot and towards where ever the danger was. She started running towards and caught up to him. As they cut corners to get to safe enough location to see what was going on.

"Don't tell me we're just going to run and shoot at this dude?" Lila exclaimed in disbelief towards her father.

"No of course not, you see that roof up there." Clint pointed up to a nearby building that was behind them. Lila nodded. "We're going to shoot from up there. Got any idea of a way to get up there?" Her dad asked.

Lila examined the building they were supposed to get up too. She saw the ladders that were out on the side of the building. She used her bow to point out the ladders. "What about over there, easy access to the roof and no one should be able to spot us from up there.”

"Quick thinking kid, I doubt this is a high threat, this i'll be a breeze. Now let’s head up there and kick some ass." Clint said as he gave his daughter a high five. They began to run towards the building, as they reached tall building Lila took the lead and began running up the stairs, by the time she reached the roof of the building. Her dad was halfway from reaching the top by the time she was there. Lila was able to see what was going on a couple streets over. She was able to spot the person who was fighting people below.

She pulled an arrow out from her quiver and held it along side her bow. She turned around to see her dad pausing as he caught up the the level she was on. It took you long enough to show up. I've got eyes on the targets, there's two of them fighting off police officers. I think I have plan" She told her dad as he walked over with a look.  They discussed the plan and take them down with ease.

They celebrate their win with milkshakes and cheeseburgers.

This goes on for months without a hitch and the media is calling her the new Hawkeye with proudly takes the title of.But like all good things, they have to crash and burn some how. This time though it happens on her birthday.

* * *

 

Two main things happen on the night of Lila’s 14th birthday.

1- The rest of her family finds out she the new Hawkeye and her mom flips her shit on her and her dad.

2- She finds someone in her barn and almost takes them out with a knife.

It was mostly her fault that her mom found out. It was mostly her fault that her mom found out. She hadn't took her dad advice on staying out of the face of media. For the most part the world knew that there was a new Hawkeye only thing was they never saw

her face because she always left the scene before the media could snap a photo of her face.

This time was different though.

She was fighting man who kidnapped a three elementary students, she took down the man with ease but she stayed behind the talk to the kids and make sure they were okay, she pulled the mask off of her face to make sure the kids weren't frightened by her.

As she was comforting the children unbeknownst to her, someone snapped a photo of her face. About 15 minutes later her face was all over Superhero Daily, Buzzfeed and about everywhere else on the internet. If you didn't know her at all you wouldn't know it was her, but everyone she knew could clear she it was her.

She had her phone on silent as to not distract her in the fight so she wasn't aware of what had been put on the news, or all the text messages she had got from her friends. She had already seen the birthday wishes so she expected her phone not to blow up.

She got home later then usually, it didn't seem to alarm any one at home, they ate supper and dessert, and she ended up opening up gifts from her family. She got a new knife from Cooper, A bow from her dad, a necklace from her mom and a card from Nate. All in the evening seem fine until.

"Cooper take your brother outside, I need to have a talk with your sister." Cooper complied picking up Nate and holding him in his arms.

"We'll be in tree house." Cooper yelled as he slammed the door behind him.

Lila looked up from the table as her mother turned around with a disappointed look. "You didn't think i'd find out your secret." Laura said as her tone turned from her usual soft spoken self to the sound of slight anger.

"Mom what do you mean?" Lila asked looking towards her mother who seemed to slightly calm herself down.

Her mom sighed. "How long did you think it'd take me to find out you started being an idiot like your father, god Lila why the hell did you decide to become a superhero." Her mom was basically to the point before she started yelling.

Lila was shocked by her mother’s statement. "How did you find out?" Lila questioned.

Her mother rolled her eyes. "Well for one your late almost everyday after school, two you have countless injuries you can't explain and I could go on but here’s the kicker." Her mother ramble on her list before shoving her phone in Lila's face so she could read what was on the screen.It was an article from Superhero Daily and the had the title of **_We finally get the first look at the new Hawkeye._ ** Underneath was a photo of her from the side. It wasn't to clear to determine it was her but her mom had all the facts to know it was her.  The two began yelling back and forth at each other.

The yelling didn't stop even when her father opened the door walking through the door after coming back from the fields. He stood confused for a moment before he yelled. "ENOUGH BOTH OF YOU." Her dads yell was enough to get them to stop yelling at each other for a moment. Clint pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why are you two fighting." He looked towards his wife and daughter who neglected to look at the other.

"Our daughter has been acting like an idiot thinking she can run around trying to get herself killed by fighting crime." Laura exclaimed turning to see her daughter turned away. Clint turned towards Lila and the two exchanged a look which made a gear turn

in her head. "Oh my god, Clint you knew didn't you." Laura said throwing down her dish towel onto the counter and she began to angrily pace back and forth in the kitchen. "You know I had my suspicions that you were helping her, but I thought, no Clint will talk her out of this, he'll make sure she won't do what he's done. But no you just have to enable her stupidity." Laura yelled.

Clint and Lila looked shocked at each other. "Lila go outside for a bit, i'll talk to you after I talk to your mom." Lila nodded and walked over grabbing her bow and knives much to her moms dismissing look. She ran to her patch of trees, and began to throw her knives at the tree.

She kept this up for a while as her parents fought in the house. Until she heard a noise in the barn and decided to check it out. She crept around to the front of their old barn and opened up the left side of the big sliding door. She slid one of her knives into one of the Scabbards. She gripped her knife in her right hand and entered the barn.  She looked around the old abandoned tractors and as she turned the corner of broken down baler. She heard the noise and pulled up her knife in her right hand and entered the barn. She looked around the old abandoned tractors and as she turned the corner of broken down baler. She heard the noise and pulled up her knife to a higher level. As she walked around she saw someone sitting in the shadows.

"Put your knife down Lila i'm here to talk." The man said as Lila lowered it down to have it sit by her side. It took a moment to get the voice to click in her head but she made the connection as soon as the light flickered on. It was the supposedly dead man himself.

Nick Fury.

Lila stood dumbfound for a moment. He was supposed to be dead, she went to his funeral nine years ago. So seeing him here was a surprise.

"Grandpa Nick what are you doing here,I thought you were dead?" Lila said as she went and gave him and hug and he hugged her back. As they let go of their hug Nick replied.

"I was never dead, well if you exclude the snap." He paused for a moment as locked eyes with the teen. "I need you to come to New York with me, and no you can't decline. Your father already knows this and went to go tell your mother. You have an hour to pack." Fury said as he stood up and put his hand on Lila's  shoulder and he lead Lila out of the barn.

Lila made the two stop in their path to ask the question on her mind. "Why are we going to New York, do I at least get an answer to that?" Lila sounded like she was about to yell.

Fury sighed at Lila. "Kid i'm sorry but that's classified information till we get to New York. Now go back your stuff, i'll talk to your mother. We'll meet out here in an hour." Lila nodded as they pushed open the door back into the house, she saw her mother disapproving face as she walked in and then the shock of seeing Fury standing in the kitchen.

Lila ran upstairs to her room and grabbed her suitcase out of the bag. As she grabbed a set of clothes and threw them in the case, and grabbing a bag to put her toothbrush and other things in it. Lila walked back to her room and as she packed in more things someone appeared in her door.

"Hey kiddo." Her dad paused for a moment. "Can we sit for a minute." Lila nodded as her dad closed the door and Lila sat down and Clint sat down beside her. "Look I know, you don't know whats going on but just know me and your mother will support any decision you make. You'll do great in New York." Clint told his daughter. 

Lila paused for a minute. "Wait mom is okay?" Lila asked looking towards her dad as he nodded to her. "What'd you do to convince her?" 

"Well it wasn't really me, Fury told her what was happening in New York and she seemed to agree to his plan. Now come on finish packing." Clint said as he got up and left the room. "Oh and Lila." 

"Yeah dad?"

"Make sure to bring your weapons." Lila smiled back at her dad. 

* * *

As Lila ran back down stair she saw her family all sitting around the table, along with Fury. She set her bag down and nodded to Nick that she was ready to go. Nick stood up beside his granddaughter and rested his hand on her shoulder as he looked towards the rest of the family. "I'll give you a couple of minutes to say your farewell, i'll waiting outside." Nick said as he waved goodbye to the Barton's and made his way outside. 

There was a mix of emotions around the room. Her dad looked happy for her, her looked undecided. It was the hardest to look her brothers in the eyes, Nate looked sad and confused and Cooper didn't want to look at her. She embraced her parents in a hugged, and her mother whispered. "Please be safe."

She grabbed the youngest Barton and held him in her arms. "I'm gonna miss you bud, take care of my fish for me okay?" She asked her brother and he nodded back at her. 

"I'm gonna miss you Lila." 

"I'm gonna miss you too Nate." She set Nate down and Cooper grabbed her hand. 

"I'm gonna see Lila off." Cooper said as Lila and him walked off. As they exited the house Cooper grabbed Lila's suitcase so she only had to carry her weapons bag. As the two stood outside Cooper was the one to do the talking. "Look I know I don't say this a lot but." He paused to look at his sister. "I'm going to miss you around here, and I hope you stay safe out there."

"Awe Coop you got all soft there." Lila laughed as she gave Cooper a punch to the shoulder. "I'm going to miss you too." Lila said as Cooper pulled her into a hug. 

As they embraced the sound of an airplane dropped in front of them in the field and the invisibility cloak reveal it to be the Avengers Quinjet. As they broke off the hug the hatch off the back off jet and revealed Nick Fury standing waiting. 

"Come on Lila! We don't have all day." Nick yelled.

"Bye Coop." 

"Bye Lila." And like that Lila was running off to the jet. As she arrived she waved back to her brother as the door closed and Nick took her bags and put them away. Nick passed her a drink as she took a seat on chair. She saw an agent begin to fly them off. 

"Alright Lila, next stop Tennessee."

* * *

 


	2. What Do You Do When You Lose Everything?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassie doesn't know why the worst things always happen to her. She keeps losing and never gaining anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm fairly sure nobody is going to get the references I've made in this chapter.  
> Anyway, enjoy!  
> Also i'm sorry this took so long.

* * *

3 days after her tenth birthday is when Cassie Lang loses everyone she's ever loved.

* * *

The decimation, as the remaining UN members called happening in the afternoon of a Friday in May. It started out a simple day, classes were easy and Cassie was looking forward for the dinner at her favorite restaurant with her dad and Hope, then the Three day road trip her dad was taking her on. 

Everything went down during her Math class after lunch. They had been learning about multiplication and division of fractions and decimals. they had been  going threw a worksheet as class and everything seemed fine up until her desk mate Thomas began to turn to dust right beside her, along with 17 of her classmates, it all happened so fast she couldn't understand what was going on. 

She stood up along with the others that were left. 

Only 4 of her other classmates survived. Them and along with their teacher, Mrs. Luca-Jin. They all stood alone in silence since no one knew what to say. That was until the phone range and the teacher picked up and began mumbling back and forth with whoever was on the phone. She nodded with a tears in her eye and hung up the phone. 

"Kids, I need you to state your name and then head to the gym." As they went through the process of it, it wasn't hard since there was only five of them. They all headed single file to the gym and as they looked out to see almost no one there. There was only a handful of teachers left. The school called all the parents of the children. Her teacher stood and waited with Cassie since all of her other classmates were picked up. She began to get anxious since her parents never picked up. Lila sat waiting on the bench until almost everyone was gone, her teacher finally approached her. 

"Cassie hun, why don't I drive you by your parents places and see what's going on with your family." The teacher said as she kneeled beside the girl, leaving her hand open for Cassie to embrace it. 

The 10 year old nodded and grabbed the teachers hand and the pair walked out of the gym and out to the school parking lot. The two sat in silence as her teacher drove around the abandoned cars on the highway. As they stopped at a intersection it was when Cassie finally spoke. "Mrs. Luca-Jin do you know what's going on?" The teacher shook her head and looked over at the girl. 

"I'm sorry Cassie but I don't know, no one knows what's going on." Cassie nodded sadly.

Her teacher parked outside of her mothers house and Cassie ejected herself from the car as soon as it stopped. She ran inside the house yelling. "Mom? Jim? Where are you guys?" As she ran around the rooms she finally reached  to see piles of dust on the floor. She began to sob out in pain at seeing the dust on the floor. She dropped to her knees. Her teacher ran inside to see her on the floor in tears. She kneeled beside Cassie and looked towards the dust on the floor. She placed her hand on the young girls shoulder. 

"Cass, lets go stop by your dads house." Cassie nodded as she grabbed the red head woman's hand. 

The drive was painfully silent on the way to Scott Lang's apartment. There were so many car abandoned on the street and she finally had to park a street away so they had to walk. As Cassie busted into her father apartment, she saw nothing in the apartment. She grabbed the iPhone her dad had got her for her birthday and began to call her dad. It range a couple of time before it went to voicemail. She called Hope to see if she was alive, no answer. 

Cassie sat on the floor and tried to call her other family. She tried both sets of grandparents, her dad and Hope again. Nothing. No word from anyone. Cassie was alone in this world because of what happened. 

* * *

3 months after the decimation was when everyone tried to make things go back to normal. Kids returned to school and everyone was sent to talk to counselors about their loss and their grief. 

Everyone was contacted by the remaining government officials to see who had all disappeared. Cassie filled out the sheet and come time for it to be picked up she saw a familiar face Agent Woo. It was bittersweet, when they meet. 

He had asked who she had lost and when learning what she had been through he share a story with her. 

"Cassie, who have been staying with you?" Agent Woo asked as he looked around the apartment of Scott Lang. 

Cassie fiddled with her phone. "My math teacher, Mrs. Reese Luca-Jin. She offered to let me stay with her as long as I needed, since all my close family is gone. I'm trying to see if my Aunts that live in Spain are alive, but we haven't been able to get a hold of them." Cassie said as she pass the agent a drink of water. 

"I'm happy that you found somewhere to stay.' He passed over a card to her. "If you ever need something, you call my number and I'll try my best to help you out." She took the card and looked it over before shoving it in her pocket. 

"Bye Cassie."

"Bye Agent Woo." 

* * *

When Cassie was younger she never expected to be the one to plan her families funerals. I mean no child would think they had too. Yet she was tasked to plan her parents funerals. Instead of a separate on for 4 different people. She chose to make one big on for the four of them. Nearly no one showed up, a few of her dads friends, some of her moms remaining friends and of course herself. 

She ended up moving in with her teacher, since she had finally got the news that her aunts were dead and she wasn't close enough to any of her other family to move in.

Her life goes on, just like everyone else in the world affected by the Decimation. A year after the decimation happened was the day San Francisco finally finished the memorial plaques. She ends up avoiding going to the opening day, she thinks it just going to be too overcrowded. Really she just can't seem to pull herself to go and visit. She ends up finally going on a day when Reese was finally going to see where her husband name was left. As they arrived it was dead silent all around, only a few groups of people were lurking around the the Plaques. As they entered a woman in her mid twenties passed a pamphlet to both of they and Reese pulled out a pen for both of them. 

"You take as much time as you need sweetheart, i'll be over this way." Reese pointed over to the right. Cassie nodded. "Text me when you finish up.

"Thanks Reese, i'll start over here." Cassie said as the two broke off in a separate pathways.

She ended up finding her moms a half hour into her walk and Hope's name slightly after that. She ended up getting text part way through her search for the remaining names.

_Reese: I found where you stepdad was listed, I've got it marked on my map. Any luck finding other members of your family._

_I found my mom and my dad's girlfriend Hope, i'm still looking for my dad's name. Any luck with finding where Jon was listed? :Cassie_

_Reese: No luck yet, but I think i'm getting closer. Text me when you find your dads name._

_Ok will do. :Cassie_

Cassie closed her phone and slid it back into her pocket. The heat of the May weather seemed to start to get to her, but she kept on persisting. 

She finally approached a plaque and finally found it.

_Scott Lang_

Cassie almost cried in relief. She pulled out her map and marked which Plaque number her fathers name was listed on. She texted Reese and made her way back to the meeting place.

As she arrived she only wait a few more minutes until Reese showed up. "Hey Cass, were you able to find your dad?" Reese asked as she arrived. Cassie nodded.

"Were you able to find Jon name?"

"Yeah it took awhile but I've got it written down on the map. You ready to head back home?" Reese asked as Cassie shoved her map into her back pocket.

"Yeah, I have some work I've got to catch up on." Cassie said. With that, the two headed off towards the parking lot.

Cassie sighed to herself, even though she had someone around, she still felt so alone.

* * *

 

Cassie always hated Spring Cleaning.

She need to do this though.

For 2 years Cassie avoided cleaning out her dads house. She finally decided the first days after summer break began. She texted Reese her plan of attack and Reese texted her some money so Cassie could get herself some food. She tackled the process of sweeping the floors and dusting off every counter. This was the normal routine. She'd usually come by once a week, so it wasn't to much trouble. She finally moved on to cleaning the bathrooms and her room.

It was when she was cleaning her room was when she noticed something odd. On top of her night stand. She hadn't noticed the jeweler box sitting there,  She grabbed the box and sat down on her bed. She fiddled with it before going to open it. She grabbed the lock and tried to flip it open, but was surprised to find it unable to be opened.

"Alright Cass, where would a key for a random jewelry box be?" Cassie asked as set the box on the top of the nightstand.  

She started to walk around the house, she checked the different rooms and started pulling out the drawers, looking for a key for the box. It took a couple of hour but she finally found the key after finding it taped to the bottom of jewelry box.

"How did I not see that." Cassie face palmed as she took the tape off the bottom of the wooden box. As she peeled the tape off the key she sat herself down on the floor. As she slid the key into the lock and turned it, heard the click and twisted the key back and took it out setting it down beside her.

"Alright, lets see what's in here."

Cassie only expected a necklace in the box, but was overly surprised to see what she found. There was a note over top of the contains in the box. In italics it simply read. _Cassie._

She opened the folded note.

_Dear Cassie._

_In the case of any event where me or your father go missing, I've left you this. Use it responsible and come to me whenever you need help. Please be safe._

_Hope._

_P.S take the items out of the box before you press the button._

Cassie stared at the note. Hope had left her a gift, and she was only finding it now. She put the note aside herself and looked into the box, Hope was right there was a smaller box, it somehow looked slightly like a briefcase and there was a button beside it. she took both items out like Hope said and placed the box in front of her. She grasped the button in her right hand and pushed it.

The box transformed itself and began to grow in size. The now big box turned out to be a brief case. She stood stunned for a moment but was in awe of what happened. She leaned over and clicked the briefcase, it opened up and revealed a beautiful blue and red suit, that was modeled like Hope's Wasp suit. She took the suit out of the case and picked it up. She slipped herself into the suit and dawned the helmet upon her head.

She looked at her mirror and it dawned on her.

She looked like an absolute badass.

Maybe is was her purpose, her fulfillment in life. 2 and half years after the decimation, the world is still in chaos. Maybe she could help wrangle it.

Yeah she could do this, only problem is she doesn't know where to start.

* * *

 

She starts training without her suit, since she want to know how to fight without having to rely on it constantly.

She takes up boxing as her first step in the superhero plan. She thinks it makes the most logically sense, but she can't be exactly sure. She has to search around to see if there is a place still open. Luckily she finds one not to far off from her school. She puts off going for awhile, she focuses on running and also her school work, since she doesn't want to fail the seventh grade, after her finals are over she finally decides to check out the boxing club. She headed there on a Friday afternoon and informs Reese that she'd be back later than normal. Only to be received with a thumbs up emoji.

She found it odd that he couldn't enter a door from front, but as she wandered around she saw a door on the side that people were leaving from.

The gym was poorly light,  the only light in the gym was shining over top of boxing rings, she saw a couple of guys boxing over in the corner. She walked her way through the gym and finally located the front desk.

"Excuse me." The man at the front desk turned around to see Cassie.

"Are you lost young lady?" The man, he looked to be around 20-25 years old asked her.

"No, I was wondering if i could sign up for a trainer." The man looked at her odd for a moment, before passing her a clipboard and a pen.

"Here you go young lady, may I ask why you want to sign up?

Cassie looked up from filing out information.  "I just want something to take my mind off the world." Cassie said as she passed back the form. Oh and my names Cassie."

The man looked over the sheet and put it back on the counter. "Alright Cassie, let's get you in the ring."

-

"Come on Lang!"

"You can do it Cass!"

"Kick his ass Lang!"

Over the course of 6 months boxing she had ended up gaining a reputation around the gym as a new boxer to look out for. She didn't expect to end up being one of the boxers that other would watch to see her skill.

The official calls a quit on her fight and Cassie shakes hands with the other girl she was boxing with, they both slip through ropes and back on the floor. Her train pulled her into a side hug when she came near.

"I think your getting to good for me to coach Lang."

She had been with same coach all these months. His name was Diego Hargreeves, it took a quick search but she had found out he was a superhero about ten years ago up around New York.  

"Awe come on Diego, i'm sure you've got something else you can teach me." Cassie said as they sat on the bench.

"Like what Cass."

"Teach me how to be a superhero."

Diego stopped in his tracks. "How'd you find out about that?"

"A quick google search was really all it took,now I was wondering if you could help me out?"

Diego sighed and sat beside her. "Look kid I gave that life up along time ago. If you want advice on being a superhero, you should talk to a actual superhero. Not someone forced to be one." He put his hand on her shoulder. "I can give you some tricks though to start you off. Other than that i'll still train you in boxing. That's all I can help you with."

"Alright Diego, i'm good with that. So what can you teach me."

* * *

She finds her main enjoyment in being a superhero, she gets to do things with her new found passion. She loves the thrill of the fight, but she's upset she can't share these moments with her dad. She keeps it in mind that he'd be proud of her if he was her.

She doesn't ever feel the need to give herself a superhero name, but she ends up adopting the one that the civilians give her.  

They call her The Stature.

She isn't sure why this is but she likes it. She feel it suits her.

Though it still is hard to admit things. She think of it like a coping mechanism. She hasn't been to therapy in years, so she uses this so she doesn't have to talk about her problems about her parents and the rest of her family is dead and she gets to take out her anger on people who decided to hurt others.

She hasn't been able to explain to Reese why she's home late but she'll tell her eventually.

She's six months into her heroin side job when she meets the spider in the night.

Black Widow.

-

Cassie was fighting downtown in San Francisco. It was a team of five villains, she's already taken down 3 of them, but it takes awhile to take down the other two, she just can't seem to get them to stop destroying them.

That's when she heard gunshot and the scream of the two guys in front of her. She turned around to see her.

"Hey kid, I thought you could need some help." Natasha said as she put her gun back into the hostler.

"Thanks, I needed that." Cassie said as she walked over to the Russian spy. Taking off her helmet and shaking her hand. "I'm Cassie Lang, also know as the Stature."

"Lang, wait that sounds awfully familiar. Are you related by chance to Scott Lang?" Natasha asked after letting go of Cassie's hand.

"I'm his daughter."

"Did he, yeah know?"

"No, he didn't, neither did my mom and stepdad."

"Oh Cassie, i'm so sorry. Can we talk more over coffee. I'm not to keen staying here any longer."

"Alright, follow me, there this place over by the gym I go to." Natasha nodded.

"So Cassie when did decide to become a superhero?" 

"Well it started 11 months ago when I was cleaning out my dad's apartment."

* * *

 

"Cassie! Take this!" Cassie leaned down and picked up the gun Natasha slid to her as she went to take down the man behind her.

"Nat how the hell am I supposed to use a gun! We didn't go over this in training!" Cassie yelled back, even though she knew Natasha wasn't listening. She stared at the gun for a moment, turning back to see Natasha still shooting at the man behind her.

"Awe the Stature doesn't know how to use a gun, here let me teach you." The man in red said in a snarky tone as he began to walk closer towards her. Cassie looked back down before finally chucking at the mans head.

Apparently it had enough force to send the man flying back and causing to hit his head on the concrete.

"I mean that'll do it Cass, here we'll let to police take over from here." Natasha said as she brushed some sweat away from her face. Cassie picked up the gun from the ground and passed it back to Natasha. 

"I think this yours." Cassie laughed.

"Let's head out for some lunch, then i'll take you out to the shooting range and teach you how to use a gun properly."

Cassie enjoyed these moments, she felt at home when things like this happened. 

Then Natasha disappeared back to New York with a word of saying goodbye. Once again

Cassie was left alone in the world. 

Maybe she was destined to be alone forever. 

But she'd never know.

* * *

And then her dad shows up at her moms house 5 years after the snapped happened and Cassie's only thought is.

Shouldn't he be dead?

She brushes that thought behind and cries into her fathers shoulders, she's regained a piece of her home and she forever grateful for him coming back. 

"Cass hun where's Maggie and Jim?" Cassie dropped her spoon into her boiling hot tea when she heard his question. Scott had a confused look and Cassie cleaned off the spilled tea on the counter top. 

"They disappeared in the snap along with the other half of the population." Cassie stood tall and faced her father who came and embraced her when she finished speaking. 

"Oh Cass, i'm so sorry hun." Scott paused himself. "I think I might be able to do something though, Pack your bag kid we're going to New York."

and they do go to New York, her dad helps save the world and bring back everyone. 

This comes with a price though, Natasha is dead and Tony Stark wield the new infinity gauntlet and snapped Thanos out of existence. She goes to both of them, after both funerals she meets a group of teens and they easily become fast friends. 

She goes home and meets her parents again she thanks Mrs. Luca-Jin for all her help over the years. She and her dad and Hope spend some days together.

She tells her dad and Hope what she been doing for the past couple of years, they embrace her and tell her they support her thought out her journey.

The universe is saved, life moves on, but Cassie is still scared. She scarred that this is all a dream and everyone is still dead and Cassie is still left alone in the world without any of her family. But she pushes those thoughts aside and joins her family in their comfort.

* * *

It's a Friday night when her life once again changes.

She had been out late at supper with her dad and Hope. After dropping Hope off the pair had headed back to Scott's apartment and were surprised to see someone already waiting in the home. 

The man by the name of.

Nick Fury. 

"I've been waiting for awhile for you Cassandra Lang."

"Dude that's kind of creepy? Dad who is this?" Cassie said as she turned to see Scott shell shocked before he went forward and shook the mans hand.

"Nick Fury It's an honor, I'm Scott Lang." Nick went and shook Cassie hand. 

"I'm Director Fury, I ran S.H.I.E.L.D for countless years and I need you to come with me up to New York." 

Cassie was surprised. "Why do I need to go to New York?" 

"I can't disclose the information on the matter to you, please now pack your bags the quinjet is awaiting on the roof for us to to leave." Fury told as he went to sit back down on the chair. 

"Ah Director Fury may I ask what this about."

"Yes i'm aloud to disclose this to you but not to Cassandra yet." Scott looked back to Cassie, and gave her the look of 'go pack your stuff' and she complied and left to her room and grabbed her suitcase from her closet and threw some clothes into to it along with her laptop and some of her books. She looked over in the open closet door and stared at her suit. She grabbed the jewelry box and put in the suitcase on top of everything and sealed it and went downstairs to see her dad and the director. 

"I'll give you two a minute to talk, i'll be on the roof." 

Scott pulled Cassie into a hug. "You're gonna be great kid call me if you need anything, i'll tell your mom why you disappeared. You'll be alright, also please call me when you get there." Scott said as he pulled away from their hug. 

"I'll be fine dad, even though I have no clue what's going on, i'll be alright. I love you dad." Cassie said as she pulled back in for another hug. "I better go dad, i'll miss you." She said.

"I'll miss too Cass." 

And with that she was gone up to the roof and into the quinjet once again on her way to New York.  

* * *

 


	3. I Leave You My Suit Of Red & Gold So You Can Continue My Legacy.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's Message left entitled to Harley is one the world will not like the outcome of, and Harley doesn't want to take responsibility for.  
> Harley knows he can't replace Iron Man.  
> Or at least he knows he can't do it on his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oml I know I took way too long to write another chapter y'all i'm sorry. Also I get to introduce Rhodey, so like fuck yeah.
> 
> Also I decided to name Harley's sister Amber cause she doesn't have a canon name and I just forgot everyone just calls her Abbie, but it;s my fic so I can do what I want.

* * *

Harley had got the call to confirm the death of Tony Stark at 5:43 PM on a Saturday night, at first he was unsure of who was calling him, mostly since it was an unknown caller. He scrambled over to the otherside of the garage to where his phone was plugged in since the battery seemed to die out at 40% since it was an older model.

As he swiped opened and answer the calls he couldn't but in a word since the man on the other line began questioning him.

"Is this Harley Keener?" The man had a voice that he couldn't recognize. 

"Yes, who's this?" Harley unplugged his phone and sat up on a old red bar stool that he kept so he could sit and eat and not have to leave his garage while he was in the middle of working on a project. 

There was a cough from the other line. "This is Happy Hogan." The man now identified as Happy pause and Harley knew he recognized the name from somewhere he just couldn't figure out where exactly he knew the name.  "Alright kid let's cut to the chase, were you part of the population that disappeared?" 

Harley hated when he was asked that, he'd had only been back a few days, but he was surprised to see all the things changed. His younger sister who was 14 when the whole mess happened was now 19 and in her second year of university and now he had a six year old half sister that was born while he was gone, he didn't know what had happened at first he woke up back in his garage and all he thought was that his mom must of turned the lights off, when he walked back in the house he saw his mom and both his sister only they were both older and began crying when they saw him and pulled him into a hug, so to say the least it had a shock to come back too. 

"Yeah I was, I still don't understand any of it. What does this have to do with me?" Harley replied back. 

There was a pause once again before the man spoke, and while it was news that neither person wanted to here. "Tony Stark is dead."

Harley was taken back, in a way he didn't think would happen. "What."

"Tony, died killing off Thanos and his army, you were mentioned in his will so Mrs. Stark will be bring you out to the funeral, your flight leaves early tomorrow morning and i'll send you more information over email. I'm sorry Mr. Keener." The man hung up and Harley was left with the automatic voice. 

Harley pulled his phone away from his ear and stared down at the now dimly lit screen in front of him.

_Tony Stark was Dead_

_Holy Shit_

Harley didn't understand how that was possible. 

He didn't understand why he would be left in Tony's will, he hadn't seen Tony since the summer before the 'blip', he had way more people that would should go on the list, that shouldn't be Harley. He phone buzzed again and the mail icon now had a red circle with a 1 on it, he opened it up and saw email Happy said he'd send.

He saw the details of his flight times and the ticket slips on his phone and realized that his flight was at 2am, when Happy said  early morning he didn't that early, with that he ran back into the house, he noticed the calendar on the fridge and saw he wouldn't run into his mom at all since she'd be at the hospital working her shifts, His stepdad Paul was away in California for a business meeting, his little sister Emilia would be fine to stay home by herself and his sister was away at NYU. 

He couldn't understand how any of this could of happened, all he could do is get the answers himself.

* * *

The flight wasn't too horrible, the flight was, mostly empty and he ended up sleeping the whole way. He ended up getting off the plane and into the airport at 5 am, he didn't understand why the hell he had to get their so early. As he grabbed his slung his backpack over his shoulder and pulling his bag with a handle. As he went down the escalator he saw a sign with his name on it. He learned that the man's name was Happy and Pepper requested that he drove him down to the Starks cabin.

The car ride was quiet, Harley ended up calling his sister on the way down and promised to come visit her while he was down for the visit. As he hung up Happy finally spoke to him for the first time in awhile. 

"That your girlfriend in the phone?" 

Harley shook his head and laughed. "That was my younger- er well she's my older sister now, she's at NYU for school so i was setting it up to go visit her since I haven't seen her since I got back." 

Happy nodded as he turned a corner and went down a dirt road that was heavily lined with trees. Harley could see the sight of a lake behind the trees. "And we are here, you can bring your bags inside." Happy said as he exited the parked car. Harley stepped out and looked out at the house in front of them. 

He grabbed his backpack and suitcase and rolled it up to the house, he saw different groups of people outside but he knew there would be more inside. Happy lead him up to the house and opened the door. 

It was a beautiful looking house, both with exterior and interior. When he stepped inside even with the amount of people inside it was seeming too quiet. 

Before he could even set his things down he was pulled over to the next room by someone, he wasn't sure who but he was met by Pepper Stark, who was standing beside an older man who looked somewhat familiar. 

He stood there for a moment not wanting to interrupt their conversation. But was soon was noticed by Pepper who dismissed the person she was talking to and pulled him over into a hug. "Hi Ms. Stark. It's been awhile." 

She let go of him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Harley you know you can call me Pepper, and yes it has been." Pepper said. "Here let's take a seat." She pointed over to the couch and the two walked over and took a seat. 

"So, how have you been holding up with everything that's been going on." Harley asked trying to make conversation.   
Pepper inhaled briefly. "It's been hard, especially for my daughter Morgan. She doesn't understand that he isn't coming back." Pepper told. 

Harley nodded. "How old is she?" Harley asked. 

"She just turned five a little while ago." Pepper paused. "She wants to meet you later today."She added on.

"She knows who I am." Harley seemed slightly surprised.

"Tony talked about you and Peter from time to time. Morgan wanted to hear stories from the past so Tony told her about how you helped him years ago in Tennessee." 

Harley seemed surprised and he wanted to ask more but was soon distracted by Pepper being called away. "We'll talk later." and with that he was left to himself on the couch. 

He opened up his suitcase and grabbed out the blazer that he had keeped in there, he remembered the last time he wore it was to his Mom and Step Dad's wedding. 

He slipped out of the bathroom and placed his bags by the staircase and walked outside towards the different groups of people. 

It was so overly quiet, the sound of birds and the wind on the lake was all Harley could hear. 

Seemily the funeral had been kicked into full swing, there was a reading from Pepper after she and Morgan released the arc reactor on a reef onto their lake. It all seemed to be going by in a flash. He was soon pulled in by someone putting a hand on his shoulder and greeting him.

He snapped back into existence and saw Peter Parker, the guy who helped him start a fire in the lab, the year he flew down for the summer to hang out with Tony.

"Hey Harley, it's been awhile hasn't it." Peter said. 

"It has been, how you been." Harley asked.

"It's been rough coming back, also Pepper asked me to grab you and head inside." Peter added and Harley walked along with him into the house. 

There were many people situated around the couchs. He walked Peter take a seat beside his aunt and Hogan. Pepper was sitting on an armchair and she had a small girl on her lap. He knew it probably had to be her daughter, there was few other standing in the back which he decided to do as well. Man walked in holding a tablet in one hand and a rolling suitcase in the other. 

"To commence with the reading of Tony Stark's will i'd like to hand out one of helmet he each left with a message for you. Then I'll discuss what he left for each of you." He watched as the unnamed lawyer man passed out one to everyone before her finally reach him and handed it over before turning away to speak again. 

"Now I suggest that everyone listen in private to these messages because according to a statement for Tony himself he's specified that there were something he left for certain people that he didn't others to hear. Now onto the assets." 

Harley stared down at the helmet. He had no clue of what Tony was going to say to him and he wanted to know so bad. The whole meeting seemed to go by in blur. He learned Tony had set aside a university trust for him and an assortment of many other things. After the others had seemed to clear out, Pepper had pulled him aside.

"I'd suggest you listen to your message in the garage. It'd be most fitting for in there." Pepper said before returning to the dinning room to talk to someone.

He took her word of advice and headed outside. The garage looked like it had been abandoned for years, but he stepped inside and saw how amazing it looked, It was lined with suit from the past and even if it was dimly lit he could probably still know which Mark each suit was. He found a lightswitch in the middle of a tablet table place in what seemed to be the dead center of the lab.

He flipped it over and it seemed to light the whole room instantly. He found a stool tucked underneath of the table and sat on it as he placed the helmet down. He tapped it a few times and the eyes of the hemet lit up and a holograph of Tony appeared standing on the ground of him.

_"Hey kid it's been awhile." Tony started off with. "I hope your still making those potato guns, Morgan has expressed her opinion of wanting to own one herself, so beware she will most definitely persuade you into making one for her." Tony chuckled to himself before taking a deep breath. "Alright I'll cut to the chase, if your seeing this i'm dead and this whole crazy time heist worked and you are all back, or some how I survived and you and Parker hacked the system and found this. I'm going to go with the first assumption I made." Tony sat upon a holographic chair. "I'm sure you're watching this after my will has already been read aloud. I hope you enjoy your full ride to university. You deserve all of it, you really do kid. I've never really expressed to you before but i'm truly glad I met you all these years ago. I'm glad I got to introduce you to Peter and I wish I would have done the same with Morgan, but I know she'll make her way over to meet you. She grew up listening to stories about the time we met or the many mishaps in the lab with Peter and I want her to have more of those stories. I hope you'll stick around to help Morgan grow up, I know Peter will but I want you to be there with her too. She already thinks of you too as her older brothers and I know that won't change overnight. I want you to be there for her since I can't." Tony said._

Harley wiped away the tears that were forming at his eyes but they just didn't seem to stop rolling down his face. 

_"Now that i've put you past the sappy talk, I wanted to bring up my main message of this. So as you know from our days spent in the lab with Peter you learned he was spiderman. I know how the media works and I know they will be asking if he'll becoming the next me and I don't want him to give up Spiderman just because of this. I know the world won't take kindly to someone directly taking my name write after I died. So I left you with something new."_

The sound of something arising came from behind him and he turned to face the glass case that had a new suit that was Red and Silver. 

_"I've named it Iron Lad i've been working on it for awhile and i've left it up to you to make any changes you'd like to make." Tony explained._

"Holy shit." Harley whispered as he took a closer look at it. 

_"I know this seems out of the blue but I want you to try to do what I do, of course though. I want you to get some help and since I can't be there to help you I enlisted the help of someone close to me. Rhodey will be there to help you along the way to make sure you don't start out like I did."_

Harley looked back to the hologram of Tony to see him smiling. _"I know you'll do me proud kid, I love ya lots, you'll be amazing out there Iron Lad." And with that the hologram faded away._

"I always thought Tony was crazy for saying he wanted a kid to take over for him, I think you've got a shot kid." Rhodey said standing in the doorway of the garage. "I know you'll work well with Peter but I first I gotta help you out first off. Rhodey said walking towards him. 

Harley looked over to him and back to the suit in the glass case. "Tony spent the past few years building it, he built one for you around the time he finished Peppers model. He said for years it was just another project but it was always for you." Rhodey added. 

"I didn't know he would do any of this. I just don't know why he would leave this for me." Harley said. "I just don't know if I could do this." 

"It'll take so time kid but you'll do fine, we'll start tomorrow afternoon if that's alright with you." Rhodey said before he left. "Also though maybe keep this on a downlow for now." With that he was gone. 

Harley stared back at the suit again. 

Oh god he was scared.

* * *

Turns out staying quiet about it was harder than he thought. 

He returned to the house a little while after Rhodey left he and Peter ended up meeting Morgan who had instantly proclaimed that they were her older brothers, and they both happily agree to it. They at lunch and explored the rest of the land before meeting Cassie Lang and Princess Shuri. 

They all ate dinner together later on in the evening and then met a girl named Lila. As the night dragged on he fell asleep in a bed next to Peter after the rest of girls left to go to sleep. He awoke the next morning to see Pepper in the kitchen and he apologized for stay over put she brushed it off and saying that it was no problem, she asked if he had plan for the day and he mentioned that he was going into the city to go visit his older sister. 

Happy offered to drive him in and he obliged and promised to pick him up later that evening. His sisters apartment building was huge. She buzzed him in and he walked up the twelve flights to her apartment. When he finally arrived he saw his older sister standing in the door with it open just waiting for him. "Hey short stuff I missed you." She laughed as she pulled him into a hug, only to be met with a groan. She was in a pair of old paint covered jeans and a an ACDC shirt. She had her hair pulled up into a messy bun and she was covered in paint. 

"I still hate the fact that you're now older than me now. But it's good to see you to Amber." 

She ruffled his hair and put his hands on his shoulder and lead him inside and over to her coffee table. They talked about how things at home were, how she was liking her course and the many other thing going on but he finally broke.

"Tony left me to take over the mantle of Iron Man." He finally said and he watched his sister coffee cup spill over the floor

"Harley what the fuck." Amber yelled. 

"I wasn't supposed to say anything but I just learned yesterday and I have no clue what to..." Harley went on but stopped as Amber pulled him into a hug. 

"Dude don't worry you'll figure it out. You're Harley Jonah Keener, you're kickass at everything you do. You'll do amazing at this." She said pulling out of their hug to see his smile upon his face. "Hey what do you say we go get some ice cream?" 

"I could go for it. As long as you pay for it."

"I take it back you suck." Amber said heading out the apartment door, Harley following suit. 

She still ends up paying for it. 

Harley in turn orders the most expensive item from the store.

* * *

By the time he arrived back at the Stark house it was late. He ended up having a short conversation with Pepper, answered a few text from the group chat and then he crashed on the bed not moving for the rest of the night.

He was awoken early next morning my a small body leaping atop of him.

He rolled over and seen Morgan beside him. 

"Morning Morgan." He yawned. "Why are you up so early?" He asked.

"Uncle Rhodey asked me to come get you, he wants you down in ten." She said before she hopped off the bed and a ran out of the room.

He slugged himself out of bed and down the stairs to see Rhodey standing in the kitchen. 

"Do you just live here dude." Harley said. 

"Nope, but do you." He quipped back at him.

"You got me there." He added as he tried to finish walking down the stairs without falling down them.

If he was going to be the Ironman he really had to get his iron levels up. This was not going to look good for future branding. 

He was soon brought back to the sound of fingers snapping. "Earth to Keener, hello." 

"Sorry." Harley said as he listened to Morgan laugh in the other room. 

"Here kid let's go outside." Rhodey said leaving the house. 

Harley followed him into the garage and watched him flick the lightswitch on. "Look kid i'll be honest. You remind me a lot of my nieces. Lila's about your age, she smart as hell and she's got your kind of humor, i'm sure you too would be good friends. But Monica is very strong willed and has the qualities to be an amazing leader. You embody all of these, all you need to do now in embody the suit." Rhodey said as the glass casing opened up. "So you wanna give it a shot kid."

"Fuck yeah." Harley said. 

* * *

Harley ended up staying for another week testing out the Iron Lad suit. He learned how to summon the suit to him all of the controls and even how to fly. It was an exhilarating feeling to be doing all of this, but It had been time for him to go home.  There had been many ups and downs with trying to figure out how to bring it home with him but he had figured out a command that would fly it while he was out of the suit. 

He bid a goodbye to everyone, stopped by and visited Peter and sister once again before he left. 

Things seemed to be a fair bit normal for awhile.

He kept in touch with Rhodey, Pepper and a few others. Worked on tinkering the suit and helping his younger sister out with school work. Avoided the questions of why he went missing for two weeks. All the fun things, along with keeping the huge ass secret from the rest of his family.

Then Nick Fury was in his garage and to say the least no one was impressed to say the least. 

He was inside the house taking to his stepdad and about to take his younger sister to town since his mom was at work. He said goodbye to Paul and helped his sister into the car before running to his work bench to grab his keys.

He opened up the door, he was surprised how much easier it opened. Maybe he wouldn't have to replace the door now. Beside that he flicked the light on and took a look around the desk and finally found his keys. As he was about to leave he heard a voice from the otherside of the room. 

"I have to say Mr.Keener your suit is quite impressive, i'm assuming this is a gift." He whipped his head around a saw a man who he had thought he recognized from Tony's funeral. 

"Well the base of it was designed by tony but i've done a lot of the coding myself, also who are you and why are you in my garage." He said as he stared at the man with the eyepatch. 

"I'm Director Fury, we met briefly at Tony's funeral." Fury replied. 

"I only remember you standing in the back looking shady as hell. That still doesn't answer my question." 

"I need you to come with me to New York." He stated. 

"Can it maybe wait, I have to take my sister to town." He asked. 

"I can't wait, I suggest you prepare a bag for travel, you'll be gone for a bit." Harley sighed but went along with it since he knew it was probably best to go along with what he said. He closed the door and ran out to the car and grabbed his sister and apologized for breaking his promise to take her out. She shrugged it off and went off to her room. He quickly packed together a couple things in his bag. 

"Harley what are you doing." He turned to see his stepdad in his doorframe. He had no idea of what to say. Until he realized he could use his sister a scapegoat.

"Amber asked me to come up to her place for a week to help her out with her apartment. I know this really short notice but i've got a ride up there and I promise to text. Can you please let mom now what's going on." He said as he walked past him and into the kitchen grabbing an apple and taking a bite out. 

"Are you sure you'll be alright, you know I care about you kid." Paul replied staring at him across the room. 

"Paul, i'll be alright, just please keep Emilia out of the garage." Harley said sealing the bag off before heading outside. He walked into the garage to see Fury standing there. 

"I'm ready to head off." Harley said catching Fury's attention.

"Forgot to mention, bring the suit, you'll need it." Harley looked at him oddly but compiled by packing it down. He figured out an easy way to do it about a month after he had it in the garage. He followed him out and saw the jet hiding out in the trees. The back hatch opened up and Fury walked up the back and up into the front he took a set one of benches. The moment he was seated the jet picked up and began to fly off. He had no idea what was going on but he was dying to find out.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that this was so slow for getting out into the open, I hope to finish the rest of this fic soon.


	4. Return Is Something We Always Look Forward To But How Do We Cope With Being Left Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She can't sleep following the return of the snap. 
> 
> She finds many things to do to avoid it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok sorry if this is really short, see here's the thing: So both Shuri and Peter's chapter's will be short since they are both already superheros so it's hard to try and make a plot since it has already been somewhat explained, but with Harley, Lila & Cassie. I get to explain and shape a backstory for them.  
> I'm sorry if this is disappointing but I promise it will be more interesting in upcoming stories!

* * *

Being back in Wakanda is an interesting thing, her mother had been by herself for the past five years. Yet the first thing she did when she got back was run back to go change into her Nikes for battle. 

You could say she has her priorities in check.

Otherwise actually being back home was an amazing thing.

She travelled with her brother and Okoye to America once again only to attend Tony Starks funeral. She was told by everyone who knew Tony on a basis level that he would have loved to work with her. 

She got shown his lab while she was there and she was interested in the designs of his suits, and she started thinking of ways to change the designs to help make them more efficient. 

She finally got to meet Peter Parker and they hit it off instantly. She could tell that this boy had been through a lot already. Though they bonded through there shared love of vines and Star Wars.

(She failed to mention she had working lightsabers she made herself, but he could die bitter for all she care.) 

(She cared a lot.)

She ended up meeting a few others as well, she knew she'd have to keep in contact with all of them. 

They headed back to Wakanda the next day. There was a celebration when everyone returned from the dead. Her brother once again quoted. "As you can see I am not dead." It took everything not to give him a slap. 

She ended up wandering through the Palace one of the nights she can't sleep, She has been back for a week already, but she can't find it in her to sleep. Walking down the down the halls she found the lab she had worked on Vision. She hates knowing she failed, but it wasn't exactly her fault that people broke in.

It was still absolutely destroyed. It had been two am when checking the time for the first time in the exploration of avoiding sleep.

It wouldn't hurt to rearrange it, right.

Next time the clock was check was when she finished all of the tidying and other things.

* * *

After weeks Shuri had finally fallen back into a routine of sorts.

Well except she avoided going to sleep at any point unless she absolutely had too. 

Even when she would go to sleep she wake up in a cold sweat. 

She found solace in working in the lab. She found herself countiuling updating the Black Panther suit. Even though her brother insisted that it did not need anymore changes, but he still let her continue on it.

She knew that he knew that she wasn't sleeping. 

But she knew he was busy trying to pick up the pieces and helping the world fall back into normalcy. He had already been out so much for UN meetings, and even when he was home he was in council meeting.

She found herself alone a lot, which was seemingly normal. It took awhile but she decided to push through and finish all of her projects that were left to collect dust. 

She worked on remodelling the Kimoyo Beads, it may have taken a while to do but she had fun working in it.

She spent nights on Facetime with Peter helping him when he was stuck in a rut with working on some of his projects.  

She finally made some upgrades to her Vibranium Gauntlets and Sonic Spears, to advance them. 

It was one of her brother's off day when he stopped in the lab and reminded her they were going out to Oakland for a week to check in on the outreach. 

* * *

She didn't want to have to fight while she was in Oakland. Alas of course someone had to attack her. 

It wasn't much of a fight, she took them down with ease, but ended up with causing a bit of damage. 

It was mostly the other man's fault for causing fire damage but she helped the people get away from the attacker and talked to the police about what happened. She was lucky she was carrying her portable Sonic Spear or she would of had to resort to other resources. 

As it usually goes, news of the Princess of Wakanda absolutely decking a guy in the middle of downtown Oakland. 

She ended up with different texts from many of her american friends, along hologram from her brother. 

She opened up her groupchat with Peter, Lila, Cassie & Harley to see it was Lila who linked the article that Buzzfeed Superhero wrote. 

It was a mix of Lila asking if she was alright,Harley congratulating her for taking the guy down and Peter sending in memes of the fight already. 

She felt her phone vibrate as she entered her uber back to the Hotel. 

_Cassie: Hey saw you were in Oakland, any chance you'd be stopping by San Francisco?"_

She look back at the text and smiled. 

_Shuri: Does tomorrow 2 at work?_

She knew she'd have to be heading back to Wakanda in a few days time but she knew it'd be alright to take a detour. 

_Cassie: I'll text you an address_

_Cassie :)_

Shuri arrived back at the centre and did a bit of work before going out for a burger with T'Challa. She made the offhand comment about visiting San Francisco for the day and he said it would be go to go see the sights.  

* * *

Shuri ended up in San Francisco around 1:30, She took the option of ferry instead of the Talon Fighter and took an uber to the location Cassie sent her the day before hand. She found herself standing outside Pier 39.

The crowd of people at the pier was huge, she ended up sending a text to find her. 

Shuri found the Cafe Cassie had suggested they'd meet in. It was a bit of walk through the Pier to find it but it stood out like a sore thumb with it's bright blue exterior and big orange doors. Inside though it was much calmer than the exterior made it seem. It wasn't busy in the slightest, considering it was a the middle of a Thursday afternoon. Cassie had been sitting in one of the window booth seats. She hadn't noticed it was her while she walked past the windows, but yet she instantly knew it was her when she saw her in the door. 

"Cassie!" Shuri yelled to grabbed the girls attention as she walked over to the booth. Cassie slid out and gave the older girl a hug. 

"It's been way too long, how have you been?" Cassie asked letting go as they both sat down. 

"I've been busy, how have you been?" 

"Well, it's still taken a while to get use to everyone being back, I've ended up babysitting a couple of my classmate since they disappeared and came back the same age. It's been odd but otherwise it's been going well. I bought you a coffee and a donut." Cassie said picking up her Coffee cup with her left hand, since her right one was in an cast.

"What happened there." Shuri asked as she pointed to Purple cast. Cassie let out a slight chuckle. 

"Surprisingly it was from doing any superhero work with Hope and My dad. Well it happened during Theatre, I was helping get props from the closet and there was a box on a high shelf and I said to myself. 'Cassie it's fine you've taken down many different villains, you've fought Black Widow in a 1v1, a box will be fine.' Well turns the box had the heaviest item pieces in the room, so I've been stuck in a cast for the past week and will be for the next month and a half." Cassie sighed.

"Damn dude that sucks." Shuri said taking a bite out of her donut.

"It's whatever at this point i've had to put off boxing and helping Hope for a while." She shrugged. "How have the updates on the Kimoyo Beads." 

Shuri went on a ramble about the upgrades for awhile before they finally left the shop and walked down and off of the pier. They explored the city for awhile,  and finally seen it was around 7:30.

"You wanna get dinner before I leave, my Ferry leaves around 9:30 so we've got time." Shuri suggested. 

"Sure I know this great place around here where we can eat." Cassie suggested as they turned the corner. It took awhile but they arrived at a small sandwich shop. She waved to the guy up front as they entered in. "My dad knows the guy who runs the place. They make all kinds of stuff." Cassie added as she walked up and ordered a Philly Cheesesteak and a Caramel Milkshake. Shuri scrolled over and decided on a Strawberry Milkshake and Chicken Parmesan Panini. Shuri insisted she'd pay since Cassie paided at the coffee shop. Cassie obliged and the two sat down at the counter after they paid.

The owner was the one who brought them there food and he talked with Cassie for a few minutes asking about how her dad was. Before giving them a free brownie plate for dessert.

Shuri made the mental note that she most definitely had to come here again. 

After they finished Cassie walked her back to the ferry dock and the two hugged goodbye.

"I had a lot of fun, promise you'll come visit again?" Cassie asked. 

"You know I will. I'm just not sure when." Shuri laughed. 

The pair waved goodbye as Shuri walked up the dock and onto the boat. 

Somehow just Cassie's presence seemed to make her day 20 times better.

* * *

She took many trips through the months to Oakland to go see the outreach center.  She ended up always extending her trips so she could go down to San Francisco and meet with Cassie for a dinner dates, she got to see Cassie's favorite places throughout the city, and everytime Shuri left she promised to take Cassie to Wakanda someday, they just weren't sure when she would be able too. 

It had always been nice to get out to the states once in a while. 

She had stuck to California, but this time she went out to NYC. She got a text from Peter asking if she wanted to come visit for a week. She got the permission from her mother, she rode in with Nakia since she had to travel and she had been happy to take her. 

She had appeared on the Parker's doorstep around 7, she knock but there was no answer she texted Peter and heard his phone ding from inside the apartment, she turned the doorknob and seen it hadn't been locked. She opened the door and saw Peter making out with a girl on his couch. 

"Oh my god." Shuri yelled as she dropped her suitcase on the inside of the apartment. There was a screech coming from both parties.

"Shuri! What the fuck! I thought you weren't coming till tomorrow. Why didn't you text me?" Peter said fixing his messed up hair, she knew he wasn't mad at her, the reaction was mostly just of pure shock.

"I just did, I heard it ding from outside. Also hi i'm Shuri you must be MJ." She said walking forward and sticking her hand out for a handshake, which she quickly shook. 

"Um yeah, how did you know." She felt bad for walking in on them, but it was also some blackmail she could use against him.

"Peter's mentioned you before in our group chat, he likes you a lot by the way." Shuri said as she sat down beside them. 

Throughout the evening they left the apartment and went down to go get some burgers. She learned she and MJ had a lot in common and ended up exchanging numbers. Once MJ had left to go back home her and Peter headed back to the apartment, she finally met his Aunt May, who had just came back from date with a man named Happy, they ended up playing Mario Kart and Super Smash bros until midnight and Peter had call it a quit there since he had school the next morning. She made the decision that she'd go along with him to see what his school was like and he couldn't really argue since he wanted to show her his project.

Or they thought he did, until Nick Fury showed up requesting they followed him. 

So yeah that basically hijacked their whole plan.

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, comments & Kudos are appreciated heavily!


End file.
